Covers tactics, leaders, and famous actionsFrom Solidarity's passive/aggressive faceoff with communism to the courageous sit-ins and marches of the Civil Rights Movement, here is the first systematic survey of peaceful confrontations between the forces for the status quo and the forces for change. All the important events, tactics, and leaders are covered: Women's suffrage, blockades, IRA hunger strikes, monkey wrenching, Charter 77, the Clamshell Alliance, Rosa Parks, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King, Lech Walesa, and many more.

Focuses on critical issuesClear, comprehensive, and authoritative, the Encyclopedia examines such critical contemporary issues as violence, the nature of power, conflict resolution, the mechanisms of social movements, the application of moral authority, and defines and surveys the underlying assumptions and prevailing thinking of all activists for change.

A practical blueprint for peaceful protest-the first and only work of its kindFor this first systematic treatment of the subject, expert contributors from around the world have written essays on key persons, events, ideas, works, institutions , groups, and methods. The result is a primer and practical guide on all aspects of nonviolent action. There is an introduction, a listing of the entries by category, and a comprehensive index.

Special features:* First and only encyclopedia on the subject* Spotlights the most important peaceful struggles of the 20th century* Examines l04 nonviolent movements, campaigns, and events* Profiles 70 activists and scholars, including a dozen Nobel Peace Prize laureates* Surveys 42 organizations that have led nonviolent movements* Details 40 methods of peaceful protest

REVIEWS:

"Although a variety of forms of nonviolent action have been in existence for centuries, this appears to be the first encyclopedia devoted to the subject. The editors believe that nonviolence is a 'universal phenomenon, transcending cultures, political systems, and even historical periods,' and they include numerous examples. The introduction states that the volume is not meant to be exhaustive but, rather, representative and has a bias toward the U.S. in the twentieth century.

The encyclopedia is arranged alphabetically. The main text is preceded by a list of entries by category--campaigns, events, locations, methods of action, organizations, people, and related topics. There are more than 125 contributors, with the majority of writers having U.S. college or university affiliations. Others have close connections to nonviolence. The entry for ahimsa, a Sanskrit word (which "conveys a comprehensive meaning of nonviolence") made prominent by Mohandas K. Gandhi, is written by M. K. Gandhi's grandson Arun Gandhi, director of the Gandhi Institute in Memphis. The entries for countries are lengthy--Australia is six pages, China is seven pages--while those for people or campaigns are less than a page. Methods of Nonviolent Action includes a comprehensive list of 198 methods of nonviolence, from making formal statements (public speeches, petitions) to political intervention (disclosing identities of secret agents, seeking imprisonment). There is also an excellent discussion of principled nonviolence. A few black-and-white photographs add to the text, including a photograph of Gandhi taken by Margaret Bourke-White. The index is comprehensive, and there are numerous bibliographic references and see references. A minor criticism is the lack of running headings on the top of each page.

This is a unique, well-written, informative encyclopedia that should be a part of any academic or large public library collection."

--Booklist

"A valuable source of information for anyone with interest in the field of peace and nonviolence."

--New Routes

"A magisterial collection of essays that significantly enhances our understanding of the phenomenon and pervasiveness of non-violent action as well as its transformative powers... This encyclopedia will be the standard reference on non-violent struggles for a long time to come."

--Yuen Foong Khong, Fellow, Nuffield College, Oxford University.

"At a time when so many violent revolutions have disintegrated into social disasters, it is high time that nonviolent action-for human rights, democracy and sustainable development-moved to center stage. This encyclopedia should help to establish the legitimacy of nonviolent action in the building of a civil society worthy of the name."

--Malvern Lumsden, Senior Research Fellow, International Peace Research Institute, and Co-editor of the Journal of Peace Research

"A huge and remarkably comprehensive work on the concepts, strategies, movements, and personalities in the long and too-easily-overlooked history of nonviolent action for social change. The diversity of writers and references helps to assure that this volume is free of sectarian dogma and control... loaded with capsule biographies of movement leaders and with historical cameos from all over the world. Of particular value are the cases from numerous non-Western countries... Israel/Palestine, South Africa, Namibia, Panama, and others. Scholars, activists, and policy makers would all do well to spend many hours exploring this big book, pondering its lessons, and treasuring its availability for future reference."

--Alan Geyer Professor Emeritus, Wesley Theological Seminary

"This encyclopedia superbly fills the gaping hole in our understanding of the utility of nonviolent direct action for achieving social justice... Knowledge of nonviolent direct action will be vitally important in the post-modern age, and this encyclopedia provides the essential foundation for understanding and further study and research. Of interest to scholars, policymakers, and activists alike, these essays taken together will enable us to walk with wisdom and a minimum of violence into the 21st century. The editors have wisely included references to ethnic and religious conflicts in every corner of the world. If taken seriously, the contributions in the Encyclopedia open the door to a new age of peacemaking, justice-seeking, and democratic governance, both locally and internationally."

"Provides authoritative information for those who want to understand the lives of change agents, the techniques, the organizations, the philosophical basis, and the history of nonviolent protest. It will increase the power of reference librarians who ought not to be passive about recommending its use."

--Rettig on Reference

"Teachers and advanced students will appreciate the usefulness of this reference work and recognize its significance in a contemporary world of ubiquitous violence."

--VOYA

"This encyclopedia will be a standard reference on nonviolent action for years to come. The work has both great scope, and a high quality of writing, editing, and production. Protest, Power, and Change marks an important milestone in the development of history written from the perspective of peace. It is safe to say that the volume contains much important material that is not easily found elsewhere, and is not an exaggeration to claim that this is one encyclopedia that is more interesting and action-packed than many a well-written biography or novel. I can thin of no single work that will be more useful for those who want to understand the scope and history of nonviolent action for social change."

--Fellowship

"The fact that an encyclopedia of nonviolence has been published is cause enough for celebration. The fact that it's comprehensive and authoritative-a book that one can spend hours reading with great delight-is further reason to be enthusiastic about its appearance. Readers of Peacework would perform a great service to the movement by seeing that is is available in school, college, and public libraries. "

--Peacework

"It is a surprise to lean that no prior encyclopedia has been published in the field of peace and nonviolence studies. Highly recommended for general and academic collections."

--Choice

"This encyclopedia of nonviolent action is the first to provide an in-depth reference to peaceful struggles of this century. Over a hundred nonviolent movements and events are considered, with profiles of over 70 activists and leaders and surveys of key organizations included. Both issues and individuals are revealed in a scholarly reference."